''Echo'' was a sternwheel

steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the ship prefix, prefix designation SS, S.S. or S/S ...

that was operated on the Coquille River on the Southern Oregon Coast from 1901 to 1910.

Construction

''Echo'' was built in 1901 at Coquille at the Ellingson yard.Newell, Gordon R., ed. ''H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest'', Superior (1966), at page 71. ''Echo'' was long, with a beam of and depth of hold of , The overall size of the vessel was 76 gross and 49 net tons.1901 Annual Merchant Vessels List, page 232

Operations

In 1901 only three steamers served on the river between Coquille and Myrtle Point, these were the propeller ''Reta'' (18 registered tons) the sternwheeler ''Echo'' (53 registered tons) and ''Welcome'' (21 registered tons)."Improvement of Coquille River, Oregon, Between Coquille and Myrtle Point", Corps of Engineers Report (1902), at pages 2365-66.
/ref> Between these three vessels they hauled 1,554 tons of freight upriver and 2,834 tons downriver. Upriver, the biggest single item was general merchandise, 800 tons. Downriver was almost entirely agricultural products, with the biggest single item being 1,035 tons of milk. 10,187 passengers were carried up and downriver. In October 1908, ''Echo'', under E.H. James, master, departed

Myrtle Point Myrtle Point is a city in Coos County, Oregon, United States, established in 1887. The population was 2,514 at the 2010 census. Located in the Coquille River Valley, Myrtle Point is part of the Coos Bay/ North Bend/ Charleston Metropolitan Statist ...

every day at 8:00 a.m. arrived at Coquille City at 10:00 a.m., then departed Coquille City at 1:00 p.m. and returned upriver to Myrtle Point at 4:00 p.m.Advertisement, "Steamer Alert", ''

Lincoln County Leader The ''Lincoln County Leader'' was a weekly American newspaper published in Toledo, Oregon from 1893 to 1987. The newspaper was originally published as a Democratic paper, but its party affiliation changed with the ownership. For many years the ne ...

'', October 6, 1908, page 3, col.5.

Collision with ''Dixie''

In the week prior to May 4, 1905, ''Echo'' collided with the launch ''Dixie'' at Coquille City.''Bandon Recorder'', May 4, 1905, page 1, col. 2. ''Echo'' stern was twisted, and ''Dixie'' sustained some scratches, but there was no serious damage to either vessel.

Sinking and salvage

At an unknown date, ''Echo'' sank in the Coquille River but was raised.Marshall, Don, ''Oregon Shipwrecks'', Binford and Mort, Portland, OR 1984 at page 44.

Ownership change

In the first part of February 1910, ''Echo'' was operating on the run between Coquille City and Myrtle Point. At this time, the interest of Chief Engineer C.I. Kime in the vessel was bought out by Allen Panter. Allen Panter was the son of Capt. W.R. Panter, who owned the remaining interest in the steamer."Coquille River Boat Lines Change Owners", ''Coos Bay Times'', February 18, 1910, page 3, col. 6. Part of the deal also included transfer of an interest in the steamer ''Myrtle'', which was used on the south and north forks of the Coquille River, and on runs upriver from Coquille when the water was low.

Disposition

In 1910, ''Echo'' was dismantled and the machinery installed in a new sternwheeler, ''Dora'', which was brought to Myrtle Point on the evening of October 19, 1910, by Captain Panter."News of Myrtle Point", ''Coos Bay Times'', October 22, 1910, page 1, col. 5 ''Dora'' was reported to be larger and "better in every way" than the ''Echo''.

Notes

References

Historic Oregon Newspapers
* Newell, Gordon R. ed., ''H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest'', Superior Publishing, Seattle WA (1966) {{Oregon Coast Steamboats 1901 ships Coos Bay Mosquito Fleet Steamboats of the Coquille River Ships built in Oregon